Device for determining finger-hole positions in a bowling ball



R. E. MOREO Jan. 10, 1967 DEVICE FOR DETERMINING FINGER-HOLE POSITIONSIN A BOWLING BALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 17, 1965 IN\ ENTOR.

ATTORNEYS R. E. MOREO Jan. 10, 1967 DEVICE FOR DETERMINING FINGER-HOLEPOSITIONS IN A BOWLING BALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17, 1965 INVENTORWEmM-o BY QLOD' A- 0J3 ATTORNEYS United States Patent T 3,296,706 DEVHCEFOR DETERMINING FlNGER-HOLE POSTTIONS IN A BOWLTNG BALL Robert E. Moreo,Fraser, Mich, assignor to Stowe- Woodward, Inc., Newton Upper Falls,Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No.456,235 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-174) The present invention relates to thedrilling of fingerholes in bowling balls and, more particularly, to theprovision of such finger-holes in conformity with the particulardimensions of the hand of the individual bowler. Although the casualbowler may be satisfied to choose the most comfortably handled amongpredrilled bowling balls that may be available on a particular occasion,the serious or professional bowler often finds it advantageous to use aball, the finger-holes of which have been particularly fitted to hishand. The .present invent-ion contemplates a novel device by whichfinger-hole sizes and spacings of very wide range may be adjusted toprovide either a left handed or right handed bowler with the precisefeel that he will experience when a bowling ball is drilled tocorresponding specifications.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel deviceof the foregoing type in the form of a ball-like configuration having aconstruction that simply and eificaciously enables the selection of thesize of the thumb-hole, the sizes of and spacing between themiddle-finger and ring-finger holes and the distance between thethumb-hole and the middle-finger and ringfinger holes for both left andright handed bowlers in a device of relatively few parts, Essentially,the balllike configuration comprises a medial body section presenting agenerally spherical periphery about an axis and opposed hollow regionsthrough which the axis projects, and a pair of opposed sector capsections presenting oppositely convex spherical surfaces, which capsections are pivotally attached to the body section in such a way thattheir outer spherical surfaces continue the outer spherical surface ofthe body section. The body section is provided with a sequence of pairedring-finger and middle finger holes. The two different cap sections areprovided with two dilferent sequences of thumbholes, the thumb holes ofeach sequence being of different diameter. The arrangement is such thatthe cap sections are readily interchangeable so that a variety ofdifferent relationships peculiar to the hands of right handed and lefthanded bowlers can be achieved.

Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and willin part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features,properties and relation of parts, which are exemplified in the followingdetailed disclosure, the scope of which will be indicated in theappended claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the presentinvention, reference should be had to the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the medial body section of theillustrated device taken midway between its axial extremities in theplane 22 of FIGURE 3;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the medial bodysection;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of one of the opposedsector cap sections of the illustrated device;

3,296,7fifi -Patented Jan. 10, 1967 FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one ofthe sector cap sections; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the other of the opposed sector oapsections.

The device disclosed specifically herein as embodying the presentinvention is most generally shown in FIG. 1 as including a medial bodysection 10 and a pair of opposed cap sections 12 and 14. The outerperipheries of all sections 10, 12 and 14 present a spherical surfaceexcept for sequences of differently dimensioned holes in the sectionsand variable gaps between the sections. The sequence of holes in themedial body section is in the form of pairs 16, 13 of smaller and largerholes that are designed to selectively fit the ring and middle fingersof a bowler. The sequence of holes 20 in one of the cap sections isdesigned to selectively fit the thumb of a right handed bowler when hisring and middle fingers are fitted to a pair of holes 16, 18 in medialbody section 10. The sequence of holes 22 in the other of the capsections is designed to selectively fit the thumb of a left handedbowler when his ring and middle fingers are fitted to a pair of holes16, 18 in the medial body section. In a manner to be described below,the variable gaps between the sections provide clearance for pivotalmovement of the cap sections with respect to the body section in orderto adjust the span between a selected ring and middle finger hole pairand a selected thumb hole. In a manner to be described below, holes 20and 22 all are of different diameters and cap sections 12 and 14 areinterchangeable so that the wide variety of thumbhole sizes available onboth cap sections 12 and 14 are available to both right handed and lefthanded bowlers. Thus, a right handed bowler will insert his thumb into aselected thumb hole 29 and his ring and middle fingers into a selectedpair 16, 18 of ring finger and middle finger holes. On the other hand,should a left handed bowler Wish to utilize aselected thumb hole 20available only on cap section 12, the cap sections would have to beinterchanged in order to permit this bowler to insert his middle andring fingers into selected pair 16, 18 of ring finger and middle fingerholes. The arrangement is such that all of the ring finger, middlefinger, and thumb holes are of regulation depth and such that spansbetween ring fingers and middle finger pairs at one position andselected thumb holes at another position may be selected with greatversatility notwithstanding the fact that available peripheral surfacespace is rigidly restricted by official regulations. I

As shown in FIGS. .2 and 3, medial section 10 is composed of hard rubberin an oblate shape which is developed about an axis through its center23. Circularly enveloping the axis is a ridge 24, the most outwardsurface of which is spherical in conformation. Oppositely extending fromridge 24 are a pair of opposed indented spherical zones 26, 28 which aredeveloped about center 23. At opposite axial regions of medial section10 are a pair of opposed dishedout spaces 30, 32. Each space 30, 32 hasan inwardly converging conical surface 34 that intersects depressedspherical surface 26 or 28 and that is inward-1y limited by an innercircular surface 36 of a central hub 38. Hub 38 is integral with theremainder of medial section 10. Hub 38 is provided with opposed centralbores, one of which is shown at 40, and a pair of opposed internallythreaded shoulders, one of which is shown at 42, each internallythreaded shoulder 42 being more outward than each central bore 40-.Turned into threaded shoulder n2 at each of faces 36, 36 is anexternally threaded retainii g disk 44, which is provided with adownwardly converging frusto-conical bore hole 46. Extending throughbore hole 46 is the smaller diameter extension of a larger diametershaft 48. At the inner extremity of the neck is a ball 50 which isseated in bore 40 and retained by disk 44. It will be apparent thatshaft 48, by virtue of the foregoing structure, is universally pivotal.

Each of successive pairs of holes 16, 18 have parallel axes. Inreference to FIG. 2, the successive pairs are characterized bysuccessively different diameters. Specifically as shown in FIG. 2, thefollowing holes are characterized by the following numbered diameters:#50 inch; #52 ,g inch; #54 inch; #56% inch; #58-' inch; #6O inch; #62 /sinch; #64 5 inch; #66- inch; #68 %;g inch; #70-Vs inch; #72- inch; #74inch; #76 inch; #74- inch; #76 inch; #80 inch; and #82% inch.

Each of cap sectors 12, 14 is in the from shown in FIG. 4 as beingcomposed of hard rubber and having an exrior surface of sphericalconformation 90, a shank 92 that is tapered inwardly and that presents afrusto-conical surface 94 and a limited internal spherical surface 96.The thickness between outer spherical surface 98 and inner sphericalsurface 96 is approximately the same as the distance between ridgedspherical surface 24 and indented spherical surface 26 of medial section10. The outer extremity of hub 92 is provided with a hollow bore 5 8about the axis of the cap sector. Hollow bore 98 communicates with ahollow bore 100 that extends all the way through shank 92. It will beappreciated that hollow bore 100 receives a shaft 48 when innerspherical surface 96 bears against indented spherical surface 26 or 28of medial sector 10. At any pivotal position of cap section 12 or 14with respect to medial section 10, the cap section may 'be clamped intofixed position by the action of a Wing nut 102 which as shown in FIG. 1,is turned onto the externally threaded extremity of its correspondingshaft into seated position against the inner extremity of hollow bore98.

In reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the successive thumb holes arecharacterized by different diameters. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5and 6, the following holes are characterized by the following numbereddiameters: #104 %2 inch; #106% inch; #1081 /J, inch; #l1 inch; #l12inch; #1l4 '71e inch; #ll6 inch; #1l8 #120- inch; #122 1 inch; 1241inch; and #'126'Vs inch.

In operation, first that cap section 12 or 14, which presents thepatricular thumb hole suited to the hand of the bowler being measured,is positioned at one or the other of the regions of body section 10depending on whether the bowler is right or left handed. Next, the othercap section is positioned at the remaining region of body section 10,with associated shaft 48 projecting through bore hole 100 and wing nut102 turned into its innermost clamping condition. Next the bowlerselects the ring finger and middle finger hole pair 16, 18 that mostclosely fits his fingers. Then the :bowler pivots and rotates theselected cap section with respect to the body section into the mostcomfortable relative position. Finally, the wing nut 102 of the selectedcap section is turned into its innermost clamping condition.

The present invention thus provides a versatile device for providing abowler with the precise feel of a ball that is to be drilled. Sincecertain changes may be made in the above description and drawingswithout departing from the scope of the invention above disclosed, it isintended that all matter described in the foregoing specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings be interpreted in anillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for measuring bowling grip, said device comprising a medialbody section and a pair of opposed cap sections that pivotable androtatable with respect to said medial body section, said media-l bodysection presenting an outer spherical surface and a pair of innerspherical surfaces on opposite sides of said ridge spherical surface,each of said opposed cap sections including an outer spherical surfaceand an inner spherical surface, the distance between the outer sphericalsurface of said body section being approximately equal to the distancebetween the outer spherical surface of said cap section and the innerspherical surface of said cap section, said body section including a hubportion extending therewithin general- 1y perpendicularly with respectto an axis about which said outer spherical surface of said body sectionis developed, a pair of opposed rods, one of said opposed rods havingits inner extremity universally pivoted in said hub portion and itsouter extremity threaded and extending roughly along said axis in onedirection, the other of said opposed rods having its inner extremityuniversally pivoted in said hub portion and its outer extremity threadedand extending roughly along said axis in the other direction, said capsections having axial bores receiving said rods, the inner sphericalsurfaces of said cap sections being seated on the outer sphericalsurfaces of said body section, threaded nuts turned onto the threadedouter extremities of said rods in order to clamp said cap sectionsagainst said body section, said cap sections being rotatable about saidrods, the outer peripheral surfaces of said body section and said capsections defining a continuous spherical surface except for holes insaid cap sections and said body section and gaps between said capsections and said body section, said holes including pairs of ringfinger and middle finger holes in said outer spherical surface of saidbody section, one of the holes of each pair :being of lesser diameterand the other of the holes of each pairbeing of greater diameter, theholes of different pairs being of different diameters, said holesincluding a sequence of thumb holes in one of said cap sections and asequence of thumb holes in the other of said cap sections, the holes ofeach sequence being of different diameters, the holes of one sequencebeing of different diameters from the holes of the other sequence, saidcap sections being removable from and interchangeable on said rods sothat any selected hole of either cap section is available to receive thethumb of a right or left handed bowler when his middle and ring fingersare received in a selected pair of holes in the body section.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said cap sections at the outerextremities of said axial bores being provided with depressionscommunicating with said axial bores, said threaded nuts being at leastpartially disposed in said depressions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1940 Shepard33-174 11/1948 Reitsrna 33l74

1. A DEVICE FOR MEASURING BOWLING GRIP, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A MEDIALBODY SECTION AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED CAP SECTIONS THAT PIVOTABLE ANDROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEDIAL BODY SECTION, SAID MEDIAL BODYSECTION PRESENTING AN OUTER SPHERICAL SURFACE AND A PAIR OF INNERSPHERICAL SURFACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID RIDGE SPHERICAL SURFACE,EACH OF SAID OPPOSED CAP SECTIONS INCLUDING AN OUTER SPHERICAL SURFACEAND AN INNER SPHERICAL SURFACE , THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OUTERSPHERICAL SURFACE OF SAID BODY SECTION BEING APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THEDISTANCE BETWEEN THE OUTER SPHERICAL SURFACE OF SAID CAP SECTION AND THEINNER SPHERICAL SURFACE OF SAID CAP SECTION, SAID BODY SECTION INCLUDINGA HUB PORTION EXTENDING THEREWITHIN GENERALLY PERPENDICULARLY WITHRESPECT TO AN AXIS ABOUT WHICH SAID OUTER SPHERICAL SURFACE OF SAID BODYSECTION IS DEVELOPED, A PAIR OF OPPOSED RODS, ONE OF SAID OPPOSED RODSHAVING ITS INNER EXTREMITY UNIVERSALLY PIVOTED IN SAID HUB PORTION ANDITS OUTER EXTREMITY THREADED AND EXTENDING ROUGHLY ALONG SAID AXIS INONE DIRECTION, THE OTHER OF SAID OPPOSED RODS HAVING ITS INNER EXTREMITYUNIVERSALLY PIVOTED IN SAID HUB PORTION AND ITS OUTER EXTREMITY THREADEDAND EXTENDING ROUGHLY ALONG SAID AXIS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, SAID CAPSECTIONS HAVING AXIAL BORES RECEIVING SAID RODS, THE INNER SPHERICALSURFACES OF SAID CAP SECTIONS BEING SEATED ON THE OUTER SPHERICALSURFACES OF SAID BODY SECTION, THREADED NUTS TURNED ONTO THE THREADEDOUTER EXTREMITIES OF SAID RODS IN ORDER TO CLAMP SAID CAP SECTIONSAGAINST SAID BODY SECTION, SAID CAP SECTIONS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT SAIDRODS, THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF SAID BODY SECTION AND SAID CAPSECTIONS DEFINING A CONTINUOUS SPHERICAL